Austrian President promises to personally monitor assistance to Ukraine in demining
President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen said that the government is currently working on the issue of providing assistance to Ukraine in demining the territories, and he will personally ensure that this issue is "not forgotten."
The Austrian president said this in Vienna on Thursday during a joint press conference with President of Poland Andrzej Duda, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
"In his speech to the Austrian parliament, President Zelensky primarily talked about demining, assistance in demining Ukrainian territories, houses, gardens, and orchards, anything that could contain mines. And Austria does have some know-how in demining. As far as I know, this issue is currently being worked out... And I will personally make sure that this issue is not forgotten," Van der Bellen said.
At the same time, he reiterated Austria's position on refusing to provide military assistance to Ukraine. The Austrian president said that the republic is now equipping its army on its own, as in the past, the defense budget was neglected.
As Ukrinform reported, earlier on February 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a joint press conference with the Austrian president in Kyiv that Austria could help Ukraine with anti-drone systems, electronic warfare systems, and demining.